Joel McHale Acknowledges Community Film Delay, Saying “We Were Very Close To Starting Filming”.
The wait for “Community the Movie” will be even longer.
Filming on the follow-up film, which seemed almost mythical for a time but was greenlit by Peacock last fall, was set to begin filming in June. But like so many things, the production is on hold due to the Writers Guild strike.
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“That was a bummer because we were about to start filming,” series frontman Joel McHale told TVLine Thursday afternoon while promoting the second season of Fox’s Crime Scene Kitchen. “But at the same time, I stand behind the authors a thousand billion percent. The authors have to be paid.”
McHale reiterated that Community the Movie “is still going to happen,” saying, “When this strike is over, we’re going to come back and make it.” And I’m sure of it [series creator] Dan [Harmon] I’m going to throw in 12 jokes that deal with the fact that it took [this long to come together]. But we will make it. It may just take a while.”
Peacock ordered Community the Movie in September 2022, more than seven years after the 2015 cult-classic series finale. Harmon is co-writing the film with former series writer Andrew Guest (who credits the fan-favorite episodes Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and “A Fistful of Paintballs”).
The storyline for the film is unclear so far, though Harmon had previously ruled out ideas like another paintball contest, a Dungeons & Dragons theme, or a scenario where Greendale has been closed (or even demolished) for a decade.
What Harmon surmised is that the study group will have spent a significant amount of time apart. “It’s not because they’ve sworn off each other,” he says. “There’s a reason to get together, and then there’s a reason they need to stay together.”
Speaking to TVLine on Thursday, McHale teased, “I know what’s going on [in the movie] but I can’t say anything.” After quipping, “Everybody dies, it’s like the end of Hamlet,” he got serious, declaring, “As far as I know about it, it’s great, it really is.” It’s going to be a be a barn burner.”
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Alongside McHale (as Jeff Winger), former series regulars returning for the film are Danny Pudi (as Abed Nadir), Alison Brie (Annie Edison), Gillian Jacobs (Britta Perry), Donald Glover (Troy Barnes) and Jim Rash (Dean Pelton) and Ken Jeong (Ben Chang), while Yvette Nicole Brown (Shirley Bennett) and Chevy Chase (the late Pierce Hawthorne) remain question marks to varying degrees. Actor Keith David (Elroy Patashnik), who joined later, is also expected to return.
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